Fish Report-Freshwater, July 23

TOP NEWS: The striped bass continue to be best in the upper end of Lake Havasu and up through Topoc Gorge and all the way up to Davis Dam. Top spots have been the sandbar at the upper end of Havasu with clusters of fish all the way to Bullhead and then more concentrated numbers from there to the dam. While most of the stripers are one to three pounds, the bulk of the spawning fish are four to eight pounds with a few bigger fish each week. Gene Tofoya, Bullhead City, caught a 7.2-pounder near Davis Dam from shore on the Nevada on a cut anchovy. There is also good redear action throughout Lake Havasu with a lot of 2-pound class and bigger redear being caught. Largemouth and smallmouth bass are fair with some flurries of topwater action early in the day in both Havasu and Mohave. The catfish bite in the lower river is fair to good. The Palo Verde Lagoon and the main river south of Blythe both have a very good channel catfish bites. The bass and bluegill are fair in this lower stretch of river, but getting very little pressure. Overall it is hot, mosquito-plagued, fishing on the lower river.